FINAL REPORT: Safe and Sustainable Parking Garage Live Loads in the Age of the Electric Vehicle (RGA #05-24)
The Charles Pankow Foundation announces the completion of RGA #05-24, Safe and Sustainable Parking Garage Live Loads in the Age of the Electric Vehicles. This outstanding report is available for download at the link below.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FINAL REPORT
- Principal Investigator was Dr. Ross B. Corotis, P.E., University of Colorado Boulder, with co-investigator Dr. Sanjay Arwade, University of Massachusetts.
- Industry Champions were Emily Guglielmo, Martin / Martin; Cole Graveen, Raths, Raths & Johnson; Erik Madsen, DCI + Madsen.
- CPF Allies included ASCE 7-28 Dead & Live Load Subcommittee of ASCE/SEI, the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY), and the New York City Department of Buildings.
- Supporters included Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH), HGA Architects, Desimone Engineering, National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA), Rimkus, Walter P Moore, Martin / Martin, DCI Engineering, Parking Consultants Council (PCC), and the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI).
Abstract: Parking garages, loaded primarily by sets of vehicles sampled from the prevailing vehicle fleet, are subject to changes in loads and demand and vehicle purchasing preferences of the market shift over time. As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to become more popular in the US and globally, the question of whether a shift to EVs, with their significant battery weight, indicates a change in the prescribed design live load in the ASCE 7 specification. This study implements the stochastic live load method that was used to establish the existing 40 psf garage live load value in ASCE 7, but using data reflective of the current state of the US vehicle fleet. Additionally, an approach is introduced to account for future increased adoption of EVs. Corresponding equivalent uniform design loads (EUDLs) are calculated for a wide variety of cases, considering geographic and temporal variation as well as a variety of EV adoption scenarios.
Summary of Key Findings: In all but the most extreme cases of EV adoption and EV weight, calculated EUDLs are equal to or lower than 40 psf. In the cases where the EUDL exceeds 40 psf it is prudent to consider the additional safety margin provided by the presence of a load factor greater than 1.0 in the specification of load combinations. Using direct simulation of loading and column axial forces on multiple levels of a parking garage, it is found that a 10% reduction in live load is supported for columns supporting multiple levels.